# What This Bill Actually Does

This bill changes the name of the National School Lunch Program from the "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act" to the "Jean E. Fairfax National School Lunch Act." That's it—it's a straightforward renaming. The program itself, how it operates, and the benefits it provides to students won't change at all. Your child's school lunch will look and taste exactly the same.

The bill explains why supporters want this change. Jean E. Fairfax was a civil rights activist who worked to make sure the school lunch program actually reached the children who needed it most, particularly in poor communities and communities of color. She organized groups to study the program, testified before Congress about how it was failing certain students, and pushed for reforms that made it more inclusive. In contrast, the bill notes that Richard B. Russell, the person the program is currently named after, opposed civil rights legislation, supported segregation, and resisted efforts to make the school lunch program available to all children equally.

For most people, this change won't have any practical impact on daily life. The school lunch program will continue operating exactly as it does now—providing meals to millions of students across the country. The only real change is that all the places in federal law where the program is mentioned will now reference Jean E. Fairfax's name instead of Richard B. Russell's. This is a symbolic change meant to honor someone whose work helped expand access to school meals for disadvantaged students, rather than someone who opposed those efforts.

Renaming the National School Lunch Program Act of 2025

Watson Coleman, Bonnie

Renaming the National School Lunch Program Act of 2025This bill renames the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act as the Jean E. Fairfax National School Lunch Act.